The first exhibition of Peruvian art ever staged in Australia headlines a diverse range of cultural experiences in the nation’s capital this summer.

Gold and the Incas: Lost worlds of Peru opens exclusively at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra on 6 December and reveals the splendour of ancient pre-Hispanic cultures of Peru, with more than 200 objects that will transport visitors back in time into the world of the famous Incan empire and their predecessors.

Art lovers will encounter the aesthetic depth, drama and beauty of the Incan empire through objects like large stone calendars, full-size gold armour, intricate jewellery, and elaborate embroidered and woven cloths. While art made of gold, silver, turquoise, stone, textiles and ceramics will excite visitors and provide a new experience at the National Gallery of Australia, according to senior curator Christine Dixon.

‘We’re thrilled to host some of the greatest works of art ever produced in ancient Peru,’ Dixon said.

Ten private and public museums, including Peru’s National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History, have generously lent some of their greatest treasures to the National Gallery of Australia. The exhibition is a ticketed event and closes on 21 April 2014. Tickets will go on sale soon through Ticketek.

As well as Peruvian treasures, Canberra will also play host to an incredible collection of rare maps, Indigenous bark paintings and a revealing collection of rock’n’roll photographs at its national institutions in the coming months.

After exploring these exciting exhibitions, why not discover some of Canberra’s own hidden gems? The Canberra Wine District is home to 33 wineries within 35 minutes of the city, including Clonakilla, famed for its award-winning shiraz-viognier, which was recently awarded 97 points in the 2014 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion.

Experience Canberra’s rich food scene and dine in Good Food Guide hatted restaurants like Aubergine, Pulp Kitchen, Courgette, Waters Edge and the long-running Ottoman Cuisine. Or why not sample the culinary delights of acclaimed newcomers like Eightysix and Mocan and Green Grout, which were both recently named in The Australian’s Hot 50 Restaurants 2013?